


Lunchbox

by cosimascully



Category: Doctor Who
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-07-06
Updated: 2013-07-06
Packaged: 2018-03-18 13:38:57
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 567
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3571646
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/cosimascully/pseuds/cosimascully
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>“Doctor. This is…Not mine.”</p>
            </blockquote>





	Lunchbox

Rose is investigating a Torchwood case when she sees him. Lurking behind police lines, nervous grin in place.  They’re working with the cops this time– the alien in question killed one of the detectives and she’s stressed as hell, trying to smooth things between both sides– and he’s honestly the last thing on her mind. She’s confused– wasn’t he staying home today, resting up from saving the universe and crossing dimensions and Norway?  It’s been a week since the almost end of the multiverse, and he’s still a bit tuckered out– from the metacrisis, she supposes.

As surprising and unexpected as he is, Rose is glad he’s here. His cocky grin, his sticky-up hair, his blue suit that he’s _still_ wearing (they already took it to the dry cleaners once, she may hafta insist they do it again soon)– it’s all a welcome sight. She feels like a wound-up spring today, at Torchwood; being pulled tight and about to burst– but his presence is somehow loosening her. She smiles back at him, waves.

“Rose!” He’s motioning with his hand, wanting her to come over.

“Wha’?” she calls to him, raising her eyebrows.  As much as she wants to go to him, she can’t– Torchwood is needing her to talk to one of the officers about which species of alien they’ve narrowed it down too, and after that she has _paperwork_ , and oh, god, is she really ready to go back to work so soon? She feels exhausted– she’s hardly felt this tired in the three years she’s worked for them, but she was looking for the Doctor, then. She had _purpose_ , then. Now that she’s found him, the tedious procedures of Torchwood feel stressful, rather than necessary.

She brushes her hair out of her face, and with it, the thought.  He’s still motioning to her, and she walks over, sighing.  “What is it?” she asks.  “I’ve got a lot to do, Doctor…” She stifles a yawn.

“Brought you your lunchbox!” he exclaims energetically.  “You forgot it on the counter.”

She stares at him, taking the blue, tin lunchbox from him.  She’s not used one of these since she was eight.

“Doctor. This is…Not mine.”

His eyebrows shoot up. “Isn’t it?” He winks and leans in conspiratorially. He mouths, _just go with it._

She’s skeptical, but the corner of her lip twitches up, and she fights a giggle that wants to escape. “Doctor, did you make this up as an excuse to see me?”

“What!” he says, outraged. “No, no, of course not.” He winks again, and mouths, _yes.  
_

She lets herself laugh this time. “Oh my god, Doctor.  Aren’t you supposed to be at home, resting up?”

“Missed you,” he shrugs, and grabs her hand.  “’Sides. You look a bit tired too.”

“I’m fine,” she says instantly.  “I’m always–” His frown cuts her off, and she purses her lips.

"Don’t say that, please," he whispers. He squeezes her hand and she nods. 

She looks over her shoulder. The officers and Torchwood are waiting, but going back to them feels like a drudgery.  Talking with the Doctor has made her realize…

“Jake!” she shouts, and he comes running over.

“I’m taking the week off,” she says, making a split second desicion.  “Maybe the month, I don’t know.  I just…”  She glances at the Doctor.  “I’ve got a lunch date with this man, and I _can’t_ miss it.”


End file.
